Anyone else running into what seems like a Windows limit of 16 HID devices?

[Munkwolf]

I have to run some of my X-key pads in a software/keyboard mode instead of as hardware/joystick mode, otherwise sometimes my HOTAS devices won't show up in Joystick Gremln, Windows Game Controllers, and (obviously, by extension) DCS. There seems to be a limit of 16 devices I'm running into. All devices into powered hubs. Half the hubs running to mobo ports, other half running to a PCI-E Usb Card (I was at first suspecting a power bandwidth issue and got the PCI-E USB card to spread the load. Didn't make a difference).

 

Seems to be a different limit with HID devices (16?) vs USB devices generally (255).

 

Anyone else experience this? Is there a solution? I'd like to add a few more devices. Currently thinking I need to use Target to merge my TM stuff into a virtual device to give me more room unless it's something I missed or messed up along the journey to periphereal nirvana.

 

Searching through HID whitepapers and such hasn't yielded any concrete info yet.

[eatthis]

did you ever get an answer to this? i seem to be having the same issue

[Guldendrak]

old post but I have the same issue now, can't have all my 17 game controller devices working at same time... if any solution.

In real I have 18 devices but I've been able to run my tartarus keypad as a keyboard only. Sadly can't do it for others.

[Richi]

If you have two small devices, can't you combine them to make bigger one? I'm talking about the number of buttons, axes, etc.

Arduino supports 6-8 axes and many buttons or shift registers. I don't work with DCS BIOS, I don't know if two displays need two separate controllers. And of course I don't know which devices you have connected.

[Dragon1-1]

I think that a HID device can only have 8 axes, but buttons are unlimited in modern software (older games usually only see the first 32, but DCS can work with over a hundred). However, I don't know about the total number of HIDs.

[Guldendrak]

Actually the max per device is 8 axis and 128 buttons. My devices are not made by me, it's all from virpil, winwing, thrustmaster, razer, fanatec, moza, buddyfox, etc... I can't combine them as I want. I  already combined my virpil throttle with my virpil panel 2, and it's sad because like that I can't put as much "axis to button" as I used to do when they were separated. I also found a way to remove the "game controller" from my razer tartarus too, just to get one less device but this limit makes everything complicate now... If one day I want more devices like a collective because I still don't have one, it will be impossible without disconnect something else. I'm really surprised to see such a limit in 2024...

Edited March 31, 2024 by Guldendrak

[Richi]

Hard to believe guys you need 18 HID devices. But, quite apparently, it is.

[Biggus]

Could you be running out of available USB endpoints that your root controllers can manage?

[eatthis]

the limit seemed to be 16 but as of yesterday my throttle is no longer detected, has an updated dropped this limit? if i connect 14 they all seem to work but 15 wont
is win 11 better?

Edited August 22, 2024 by eatthis